Can anything be done to stop rape being used as a weapon of war?
|10:59 UK time, Thursday, 9 June 2011
This topic was discussed on World Have Your Say in 9 June, 2011. Listen to the programme.
Government troops in Libya have been ordered to carry out hundreds of rapes and given viagra type drugs to encourage them to attack women, according to the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
Luis Moreno-Ocampo said witnesses had come forward confirming that the Libyan government was buying containers of sex drugs to allow the policy to be carried out. And this is a new aspect of Colonel Gaddafi's repression.
Last month, Mr Moreno-Ocampo asked ICC judges to approve arrest warrants for Col Gaddafi, his Saif al-Islam, and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanussi.
The rumours first emerged last month when Eman al-Obeidy, caught the world's attention when she accused members of Col Gaddafi's forces of gang-raping her.
Here you can listen to Gita Saghal, former campaigner for Amnesty International, who says it is a step forward that these allegations are being investigated during the conflict.
The UN already recognises that rape is used as a tool of war.
Last month a Libyan psychologist, Siham Sergewa came forward saying she has case study after case study that proves rape is being used in this way.
But can it be stopped?
Is it about prosecution after the event? Should bodies like the UN be doing more to stop it happening in war zones or is this just a horrific reality of war?
